social media for small business

three phases to consider

Social Media For Small Business

One of the most frequent questions that we get from potential clients is, “How do you get your current clients so many likes, followers and engagements on their social channels? We put content out there all the time and no one ever reads it.” Well, there is no secret sauce, however when thinking about a social media strategy for your small business there are three phases that all businesses should consider. And here’s the kicker, most people never get to phase two, let alone phase three.

Phase 1: The Content Strategy

So you have your Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels created…now what? Well, first things first, you need CONTENT! Content is still king when it comes to social media and SEO. Without good compelling content there can be no online conversations. When developing your content strategy always consider these questions: What’s the point? Will my audience care? Is this something they will/would talk about? Once you have come up with your topics, now you have to think about frequency. Do you really want to post on Facebook as often as you would tweet? Do you think your audience would go insane if you posted six videos a day? In other words, use common sense to figure out what you should post and how often these messages should go out. We suggest creating a monthly content calendar that visually lays out when your content will be going out on what channels and what you will be talking about.

Pro Tip: Be CONSISTENT! Don’t take a week off from social media…if you’re going to do it, DO IT! Being consistent also means creating a sense of expectation within your audience. Do you do a monthly contest, or release a weekly video? Something as simple as #TestimonialTuesdays or #FunnyFridays, if done consistently, can lead to higher levels of engagement from your audience. We bet people will start to talk about your consistent messages offline as well….you’ll see!

Phase 2: Social Media Advertising

Once you have a grasp on your content, the next phase to consider is the advertising phase. The big social media companies need to make money, right? Because of this we have seen a major shift, especially on Facebook, to the “pay to play” mentality. Did you know that when your business makes a post on Facebook that only about 3-5% of the people that “LIKE” your page will actually see that content in their newsfeeds? Simply put, Facebook now wants businesses to “boost” their posts (with money) in order for their message to be more widespread. Make sure you have allocated a budget for “boosting” your content posts so that you can reach a larger portion of your audience, and beyond.

Do you sell a product or do you offer discounts off of the services you provide? If so, you might want to consider creating offers that people can redeem right from their timelines, newsfeeds and boards. The best part about social media is that consumers offer up so much information about who they are and what they are into that the targeting possibilities are endless. We work with a company that sells “Back To The Future” memorabilia and you can bet your bottom dollar that we targeted those ads towards anyone who “LIKES” that classic motion picture on Facebook. In the wedding business? Why not target all of these people everyday that change their relationship status from “single” or “in a relationship” to “engaged”.

Phase 3: Social Interaction/Engagement

So now your pages are flooding with awesome content and you are gaining new customers/clients hand over fist because of your social media ads…so now you’re done right? WRONG! It amazes me how many times I hear “No” when I ask businesses if they actually talk to their audience via their social media channels. Honestly, 90% of businesses don’t even monitor their messages or comments when it comes to their social properties. So now you know why you never get a response when you message a business on Facebook, because no one is looking! I am going to say this loud one time, THE WHOLE POINT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IS TO BE SOCIAL!!!!!!!

The number one way to grow your Likes and Followers on any social media channel is to talk to people. If I am running a DJ company that wants to book more corporate events it would make sense that I start interacting with more businesses in my local area right? People love it when you listen to their social cues and take action on them. You know you get warm fuzzies when someone comments on or shares a post you made on Facebook, don’t lie! Well so do other businesses and so it is time that we all make an effort to actually talk to each other instead of constantly shoving a bunch of content in each other’s faces…you will be fascinated by the outcome. The last thing I will say about this is that people are having hundreds of conversations every day about topics that pertain to your business, so you need to enter into those conversations. Use tools like Instagram and Twitter hashtag (#) searches to find these threads and join in!

So now you’re overwhelmed right? Don’t worry if you feel like you will never have time to get all of this done…that’s why we are here! Feel free to contact us and we would be more than willing to help you out in any capacity.